And to all of you, I extend my very best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful 2012.

Dear Pilates Professional and LBDC Graduate:

First of all, thank you for your passionate commitment to the lifelong education and growth opportunities that Pilates provides to its devoted practitioners. I have been so blessed to be able to instruct, learn and develop with you and for you for more than 20 years at Long Beach Dance Conditioning (LBDC) and through workshops and courses that I have taught around the world.

I am writing to you to share a reawakening of sorts that I have been going through for the past few months. For me, this is a positive experience and truly requires a re-connection with my roots - my teaching and development of movement educators who are united through the pursuit of knowledge, skill and proven techniques. As I open myself up to this reawakening, I am newly inspired which motivated my rethinking of everything from my materials to my workshops, my programs, work, a more balanced life and more creative opportunities.

One thing I am sure of is that LBDC will always strive to develop a deeper level of knowledge in those whom we train. Our goal is to create a community of highly skilled and intuitive movement educators who continue to learn and grow through a strong desire to understand and embody principles that can generate unique ideas and cues that allow for transformation in themselves and their clients: a true Return to Life.In essence, this is our Movement Educator Movement - where every action we take is directly tied to this vision of highly trained and practiced movement educator community.

So as I celebrate this reawakening and create methods to incorporate all that I have learned into our training, I wanted to share my thoughts and new opportunities with you first!

Firstly, the Professional Mixers are back with a new name and a new concept!

Pilates²: Evolutionary Concepts for Movement Educators

You missed our alumni mixers - we've heard!  I am thrilled to announce the rebirthing of our alumni mixers into a new and more substantial bi-monthly series of workshops/mixers entitled Pilates²: Evolved Concepts for Movement Educators. The concept workshop - will have a more formal format and will have more time to send you home with always updated substantial material. In the 6 hours available, we now are able to also offer related perspectives of other masters in the field of movement so you will enjoy multidisciplinary approaches for integration, physically and mentally (that "mind-body thing").

Secondly: A Time and Place for deeper knowledge.

Pilates Leadership Introspective is a mentoring program designed to take movement professionals to the next level through the latest concepts collected through my travels, collaborations and learning.

With 9 days of comprehensive instruction at the highest level, this program will offer you professional mentoring with my unique teaching approaches that may be the bridging program you were looking for after your entry level teacher training.  Refresh - Deepen - Inspire.

Only 16 students will be accepted into the inaugural program, scheduled for March 30 thru April 1, 2012.

Part II will be scheduled for May 18 - 20, and Part III is scheduled for August 24 - 26. The cost for this program is $2,400 for all three parts, a total of nine (9) days. Full payment before Jan 30, 2012, earns you a discounted tuition of $2,150 - another outstanding learning opportunity and value!

LBDC Pilates Teacher Training Program: A New Pilates Paradigm

Beginning in June, 2012, we will begin offering only one teacher training track per year to continue developing new movement educators and keep those passionate about their level of understanding and learning on the right track, not the fast track. The majority of our energy will be focused on delivering new learning opportunities for our students, including new and progressive advanced workshop offered in Los Angeles and wherever needed in the U.S. and internationally.

New Focus and Direction

The demand for and interest in the SmartSpine product and teachings, specifically on how to use the product to expand and enhance Pilates conditioning, will also be a focus of mine in the coming year. New research has now backed up its value and benefits in combination with Pilates and therapeutic movement. Shortly I will be sharing these tremendous research findings taken from five-year studies involving heat application (through the SmartSpine system) and the degree to which heat in combination with movement improves "core ability" and deep strength - and the results fully support my belief in SmartSpine. It was not until I saw the initial findings that I realized how dramatically the research supports every reason for using SmartSpine and I want you to be aware of these results. With success come obligations to ensure practitioners are properly educated on the newest concepts surrounding the SmartSpine and its power to heal and deepen movements.

Your learning, training, development and growth are at the center of all that we do here at LBDC. As we prepare to bring you new opportunities in 2012 and 2013, we continue to search for new ways to extend our Movement Educator Movement (our core philosophy) to every corner of the Pilates globe.

Thank you for being the inspiration for our program development! I look forward to seeing you at Pilates²: Evolved Concepts for Movement Educators and our new Pilates Leadership Introspective! For more information and to enroll in all workshops or instructor training, please go to www.LongBeachDance.com.

In movement,